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Albio Sires
| Albio Sires | ||
| U.S. House, New Jersey, District 8 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| January 2007-Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 3, 2015 | ||
| Years in position | 7 | |
| Party | Democratic | |
| Predecessor | Bill Pascrell (D) | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $174,000/year | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| First elected | November 7, 2006 | |
| Next election | November 4, 2014 | |
| Campaign $ | $4,216,627 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Prior offices | ||
| New Jersey General Assembly | ||
| 2001-2007 | ||
| Mayor of West New York, New Jersey | ||
| 1995- 2007 | ||
| Education | ||
| Bachelor's | St. Peter’s College | |
| Master's | Middlebury College | |
| Personal | ||
| Birthday | January 26, 1951 | |
| Place of birth | Bejucal, Cuba | |
| Profession | Teacher, Business Executive | |
| Net worth | $231,003 | |
| Religion | Roman Catholic | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
Contents |
Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Sires is a "rank-and-file Democrat".[2]
Biography
Sires was born in Bejucal, Cuba. He earned a B.A. from St. Peter’s College in 1974, and his M.A. from Middlebury College in 1985.[3]
Career
Sires was a teacher and business owner before entering public service.[4]
Committee assignments
U.S. House
2013-2014
Sires serves on the following committees:[5]
- Foreign Affairs Committee
- Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats
- Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
2011-2012
Sires served on the following committees:[6]
- Foreign Affairs Committee
- Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere
- Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
- Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
Issues
Political positions
Sires lists the following issues on his website.[7]
- Economy: "I remain committed to improving our current economic outlook by supporting legislation that will help New Jersey’s families, stimulate our economy, and create jobs."
- Education: "Education is the cornerstone of opportunity. We must do more as a country to support education by strengthening our schools, fully funding special education, and modernizing our classrooms."
- Global Leadership: "I believe that basic human rights and fundamental freedoms must be upheld and respected around the world, in every nation and in every community. No child should have to suffer unnecessarily simply because of where he or she was born."
- Health Care: "Every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care. Without access to affordable health care, our children cannot learn properly, parents cannot be as productive at work, and our seniors are forced to choose between food, shelter, or medical care."
- Homeland Security: "New Jersey’s 13th District is home to what is considered to be the most dangerous two-mile stretch in the country. With one of the largest ports in the country, chemical plants, the Newark Airport, and critical transportation infrastructure, securing this region is of great importance to the communities I represent and to the nation."
- Housing: "The foundation of the American Dream is to have a home to call your own."
- Medicare: "While there are improvements that can be made to Medicare in order to reduce wasteful spending and make them more cost efficient, we must not abandon our commitment to the millions of Americans who rely on these programs for every-day needs and for future generations that were guaranteed these benefits."
- Seniors: "I am a steadfast advocate for American’s seniors and the issues they care about, including retirement security, the health of Medicare, and the high cost of prescription drugs."
- Tax Reform: "I support reforming our tax system in a way that will create jobs, strengthen the middle class, encourage entrepreneurs, and help small businesses grow and hire."
- Transportation: "Investment in our transportation modes is vital to enhancing our economy, increasing our safety, maintaining our global competitiveness, and most importantly improving our quality of life."
- Veterans: "With our aging veteran population and so many new veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, I am committed to providing veterans and their families with the care and benefits they deserve."
- Women: "Last Congress, I voted for, and Congress passed, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, giving women the right to seek legal redress for wage discrimination."
Specific votes
Fiscal Cliff
Sires voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 172 Democrats that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.[8]
Elections
2012
In the 2011 redistricting, Albio Sires' 13th District was eliminated, and he ran for election representing the 8th District.[9] He defeated Michael Shurin in the June 5 Democratic primary and will face Republican Maria Karczewski in the November general election.[10][11]
| U.S. House, New Jersey, District 8 General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | 78% | 130,853 | ||
| Republican | Maria Karczewski | 18.9% | 31,763 | |
| Independent | Stephen Deluca | 1% | 1,710 | |
| Independent | Pablo Olivera | 1% | 1,625 | |
| Independent | Herbert Shaw | 1.1% | 1,839 | |
| Total Votes | 167,790 | |||
| Source: New Jersey Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
| New Jersey's 8th Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2012 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|
|
89% | 30,840 |
| Michael Shurin | 11% | 3,808 |
| Total Votes | 34,648 | |
2010
On November 2, 2010, Sires was re-elected to the United States House for a third term. He defeated Henrietta Dwyer (R), Anthony Zanowic (Independent American), and Maximo Gomez Nacer (Gravity Buoyancy Solution).[12]
Campaign donors
Comprehensive donor information for Sires is available dating back to 2006. Based on available campaign finance records, Sires raised a total of $4,216,627 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 23, 2013.[13]
| Albio Sires's Campaign Contribution History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Office | Result | Contributions | |
| 2012 | US House (New Jersey, District 8) | $663,826 | ||
| 2010 | US House (New Jersey, District 8) | $657,768 | ||
| 2008 | US House (New Jersey, District 8) | $993,228 | ||
| 2006 | US House (New Jersey, District 8) | $1,901,805 | ||
| Grand Total Raised | $4,216,627 | |||
2012
Sires won election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Sires' campaign committee raised a total of $663,827 and spent $660,824.[14]
| U.S. House of Representatives, New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, 2012 - Albio Sires Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $663,827 |
| Total Spent | $660,824 |
| Total Raised by Election Runner-up | $0 |
| Total Spent by Election Runner-up | $0 |
| Top contributors to Albio Sires's campaign committee | |
| Wny Board of Ed | $26,700 |
| Wny Bd of Ed | $11,500 |
| WNY Board of Education | $11,250 |
| American Bankers Assn | $11,000 |
| Verizon Communications | $11,000 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Education | $57,700 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $47,100 |
| Transportation Unions | $45,500 |
| Public Sector Unions | $32,500 |
| Real Estate | $29,300 |
2010
Sires was re-elected to the U.S. House in 2010 for a third term. His campaign committee raised a total of $657,768 and spent $708,763.[15]| U.S. House, New Jersey, 2010 - Albio Sires Campaign Contributions | |
|---|---|
| Total Raised | $657,768 |
| Total Spent | $708,763 |
| Total Raised by General Election Opponent | $12,726 |
| Total Spent by General Election Opponent | $73 |
| Top contributors to Albio Sires's campaign committee | |
| Urban American | $11,900 |
| Operating Engineers Union | $10,000 |
| Roseland Property | $10,000 |
| Teamsters Union | $10,000 |
| Carpenters & Joiners Union | $9,500 |
| Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee | |
| Real Estate | $58,600 |
| Lawyers/Law Firms | $48,950 |
| Transportation Unions | $46,750 |
| Public Sector Unions | $44,500 |
| Building Trade Unions | $34,500 |
Analysis
Lifetime voting record
According to the website GovTrack, Sires missed 220 of 5,256 roll call votes from November 2006 to April 2013. This amounts to 4.2%, which is worse than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.[16]
Congressional staff salaries
The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Sires paid his congressional staff a total of $988,501 in 2011. Overall, New Jersey ranks 42nd in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.[17]
Net worth
2011
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Sires' net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $132,006 to $330,000. That averages to $231,003, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic House members in 2011 of $5,107,874. His average net worth increased by 22.55% from 2010.[18]
2010
Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Sires' net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $97,006 to $280,000. Averaging to a net worth of $188,503 which is lower than the average net worth of Democrats in 2010 of $4,465,875.[19]
National Journal vote ratings
- See also: National Journal vote ratings
2012
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Sires tied with one other member of the U.S. House of Representatives, ranking 102nd in the liberal rankings among members of the U.S. House.[20]
2011
Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Sires ranked 125th in the liberal rankings among members of the U.S. House.[21]
Percentage voting with party
November 2011
The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Albio Sires voted with the Democratic Party 93.7% of the time, which ranked 58th among the 192 House Democratic members in December 2011.[22]
Recent news
This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Albio + Sires + New Jersey + House
- All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.
Albio Sires News Feed
- Is Keystone pipeline losing Democratic support? - Washington Post (blog)
- Bipartisan Coalition Introduces Hurricane Sandy Tax Relief - ParamusPost.com
- Sen. Menendez, Rep. Sires Join Port Officials, Labor & Industry Leaders To ... - ParamusPost.com
- Letter: Congressman Sires speaks up for seniors - The Jersey Journal - NJ.com
- BREAKING: Menendez, Sires and Zimmer announce new hazard mitigation ... - The Hudson Reporter
- The Jersey City mayor's race: one day away - PolitickerNJ
- City takes steps to curb flooding Announces varied approach - The Hudson Reporter
- Political Insider: Healy council candidates can run, but also can hide - The Jersey Journal - NJ.com
- $1.3 billion project to raise Bayonne Bridge gets final approval - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com
- Why can't Latinos get elected to the US Senate? - MSNBC
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Personal
Congressman Sires resides in West New York with his wife, Adrienne. His stepdaughter, Tara Kole, graduated from Harvard Law School, clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and now works for a private law firm in Los Angeles.[23]
External links
- Congressman Albio Sires official U.S. House site
- Social media:
- Biographies:
- Political profiles:
- Financial:
- Interest group ratings:
- Issue positions:
- Public statements:
- Voting record:
- Media coverage:
References
- ↑ Politico "2012 House Race Results"
- ↑ Gov Track "Albio Sires" Accessed April 12, 2012
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress "SIRES, Albio, (1951 - )"
- ↑ Congressman Albio Sires, Serving the 13th District of New Jersey "Official Biography"
- ↑ CQ.com, "House Committee Rosters for the 113th Congress"
- ↑ Congressman Albio Sires, Serving the 13th District of New Jersey "Official Biography"
- ↑ Congressman Albio Sires "Issues" Accessed October 13, 2012
- ↑ U.S. House "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff" Accessed January 4, 2013.
- ↑ The Jersey Journal "Sires gets a new number, but district's composition couldn't be better for him: Capital Clips," January 5, 2012
- ↑ WYNC "Live! NJ Election Results," June 5, 2012
- ↑ New Jersey Secretary of State "2012 Primary Results"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010"
- ↑ Open Secrets "Career Fundraising for Albio Sires," Accessed April 23, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Albio Sires 2012 Election Cycle," Accessed February 26, 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "Albio Sires 2010 Election Data," Accessed December 2, 2011
- ↑ GovTrack, "sires," Accessed April 10, 2013
- ↑ LegiStorm, "Albio Sires," Accessed October 2, 2012
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org "Albio Sires (D-NJ), 2011," accessed February 14, 2013
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Albio Sires (D-NJ), 2010," Accessed October 2, 2012
- ↑ National Journal, "2012 Congressional Vote Ratings," March 6, 2013
- ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," February 23, 2012
- ↑ Open Congress "Voting With Party"
- ↑ Congressman Albio Sires, Serving the 13th District of New Jersey "Official Biography"
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Pascrell (D) |
U.S. House of Representatives - New Jersey, District 8 2013-present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Bob Menendez |
U.S. House of Representatives - New Jersey, District 13 2006-2013 |
Succeeded by NA |
| Preceded by ' |
New Jersey General Assembly 2001-2006 |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by ' |
Mayor of West New York, New Jersey 1995-2007 |
Succeeded by ' |
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